How blue light from smartphones can speed up blindness.

Staring at your mobile phone or laptop could speed up blindness, according to scientists.

A new study by Toledo University in Ohio found that blue light from digital devices triggers the production of a toxic chemical that kills light-sensitive cells in our eyes.

The resulting damage can speed up macular degeneration – a condition that affects the middle part of vision. Around one in seven people over 50 have some signs of the disease and there is no known cure.

Dr Ajith Karunarathne from the University of Toledo said: “We are being exposed to blue light continuously, and the eye’s cornea and lens cannot block or reflect it.”